Friday, February 28, 2014

The 2013-14 winter season will go down in history as one of the coldest,snowiest winters on record for the Northeastern and Midwestern US,and the New York City metro-area,in particular,as New York City's Central Park has recorded a whopping 57.3 inches of snow through February 28,2014 and with 6-12 inches of snow forecasted for Monday,March 3,2014,this would give New York's Central Park up to 69 inches of snow for 2013-14,pulling the city within 7.5 inches of snow from the all-time record of 76.5 inches set in 1995-96 (assuming the city gets the maximum 12 inches from this storm;if it gets the minimum 6 inches,Central Park will have 63 inches for the season,pulling within 13.5 inches of the record 76.5 inches),and certainly pulling the 2013-14 winter season within the top 2 or 3 snowiest winters on record.Here's the High and Low Temperatures for New York's Central Park and the city of White Plains,NY,in the northern suburbs of Westchester County,for the 2013-14 winter season,which began on December 21,2013,as of 1:30AM,EST,March 1,2014 from weatherunderground.com,enjoy:

An artist's rendering of the construction phase of a planned 510-foot ark in Kentucky.

America, round up your animals in pairs. After more than three years
of roadblocks, a Christian ministry says it finally received adequate
funding to erect a 510-foot ark akin to the one mentioned in the
biblical tale of Noah. And if a three-story wooden boat doesn't satiate
your thirst for the biblical, you're in luck. The ark is only the first
wave in a flood of biblically-themed monuments set to be erected as a
part of a $120 million theme park.
The theme park, dubbed Ark
Encounter, was first proposed by the Christian ministry Answers in
Genesis back in 2010. But private donations for the park ran dry and the
prospect for a giant ark on the Kentucky hillside seemed doomed,
reports the Associated Press.
That all changed after Answers in Genesis president Ken Ham staged a
highly publicized "creationism" vs. "science" debate against famed
science proponent Bill Nye on Feb. 4.
According to the AP, the debate gave Ham a platform to revitalize
both his Creation Museum and funding for the Ark Encounter project. An
uptick in private donations coupled with a bond from the city of
Williamsport, Ky. — the proposed site for the theme park — worth an
estimated $61 million, reports the Associated Press,
helped set the plans for construction in motion. Ark Encounter
officials say most of the bonds were sold to investors, according to a report in The Courier-Journal. The Ark Encounter's website reports more than $14 million in private donations.
The
first phase of the theme park, which will include the ark and a petting
zoo, is expected to cost roughly $70 million, $24.5 million of which
will be dedicated to building the ark alone, reports The
Courier-Journal. In subsequent phases the theme park would add
interactive attractions like animal shows, a special-effects theater and
a rustic first-century village as well as other constructions related
to Biblical tales like the "Tower of Babel." All told, the project will
check-in at $120 million and spread across an 800-acre space off of I-75
roughly 40 miles south of downtown Cincinnati.
The decision
hasn't been met without opposition, though. Science advocates argue the
theme park would validate a "false account of world history and
biology," reports the Courier-Journal.
Ham and other creationists argue that the site would "present America
and other nations with a reminder about the Bible's account of the
Ark."
For politicians, the motivation to build the park appears
to be purely economic. Williamstown Mayor Rick Skinner told the
Courier-Journal that the town was "happy to be home to the Ark" and that
construction of the theme park would create hundreds of jobs and
attract attention to otherwise rural community.
Indeed, Grant
County – which includes the city of Williamstown – economic development
director Wade Gutman echoed those praises.
“Thank you for the jobs you are going to bring to Grant County," Gutman told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Thank you for the economic impact it will have on Grant County.”
Even
though construction is set to begin this year the park likely won't
open up until 2016. In the meantime, maybe you can use your imagination
to conjure up thoughts of just how terrifying a creepy, abandoned Ark would be.MORE: Vintage Amusement Parks

Photographer Nicholas Buer has traveled through the desert, tundra
and Arctic, not to just capture landscapes, but to shoot them at night.
Buer has battled a range of environments — from the Northern Lights
above a waterfall in Iceland to the Milky Way above the desert in Chile —
to capture incredible starry nights around the world.
“I have
always had a passion for astronomy. Gazing up at the night sky has
always filled me with a sense of wonder, but it has only been since
recent advancements in [camera] technology that I have been able to
capture the beauty of the night sky in ways I could have only dreamed of
as a child,” the U.K.-born photographer told weather.com.
Since
his first successful photo of the Milky Way in 2010, Buer, who is also
an amateur astronomer, said he’s been “hooked.” Now he spends time
carefully researching and planning his trips around the new moons. Even
though he comes prepared, some things he can’t control.(MORE:25 Amazing Shots of the Night Sky)
“Every
environment has its challenges. In the desert the dry air makes your
skin crack and split,” Buer explained. “In the Arctic, the winds can
pummel you with every gust, and when it is dark it can make conditions
seem even more challenging.”
Shooting at night also poses
problems. “At night your senses are heightened, every tree creak and
wind whistle can seem more unnerving if you are unfamiliar with your
surroundings.” To avoid confusion shooting at night, Buer tries to visit
the location during the day “to get a feel for the area.”
In
addition to scouting locales, Buer keeps a close eye on weather reports.
“When you are an amateur astronomer you also have to be a meteorologist
because, it should go without saying, but to see the stars the sky
needs to be clear,” Buer said. “So I regularly monitor the weather… to
find my best possible chance of clear skies.”
But apart from all
of the shooting and planning Buer says he always takes time to “look
away from the LCD screen and enjoy the moment,” which is something he
came to appreciate even more after a chaotic trip to Chile. After
spending a rough 36 hours of traveling that included broken planes,
missed flights, lost luggage, Buer decided to lie on the ground and look
up at the night’s sky.(MORE:Stunning Night Skies You Won't See Anywhere Else)
“A
few stars had started to appear. I knew the constellations so I could
see that the Scorpius and Sagittarius were high in the sky even though
it was still too light to see the central bulge of the Milky Way yet,”
he said. “Then slowly more stars started to appear as the sun descended
farther below the horizon and then, in what felt like a blink of the
eye, our home galaxy revealed itself in all its overwhelming beauty.”
Moments like this, Buer explained, are why astrophotographers do what they do. To see more of Buer’s work visit his website, Facebook or Vimeo page.

A very active weather system moved across the western third of the
country on Friday, while several waves of low pressure trekked across
the central U.S.

A cold frontal boundary inched across California on Friday, bringing
much needed rain and snow to the drought ridden state. Flash flood
warnings and coastal flood warnings were issued across southern
California as several bands of heavy rain and thunderstorms pushed
across the region. Oxnard, Calif., reported a midday total of 1.99
inches of rain, while Van Nuys, Calif., reported a midday total of 1.94
inches of rain. Winter storm warnings were issued across the central and
southern Sierra Nevadas, as well as a handful of southern California
mountain ranges. Mono, Calif., reported a midday total of 8.0 inches of
snow.

A cold front also extended from the Pacific Northwest, over the
Intermountain West and into the Plains on Friday, as blizzard warnings
and wind chill warnings were issued across Montana. Cascade, Mont.,
reported a midday total of 6.0 inches of snow. Meanwhile, a pair of low
pressure systems pushed across the central and southern Plains. Snow
showers moved across the northern Plains and the upper Midwest, while a
band of showers and thunderstorms inched across the Mississippi Valley.
High Pressure kept the East Coast clear of precipitation.

1900
- A massive storm spread record snows from Kansas to New York State.
Snowfall totals rangeD up to 17.5 inches at Springfield IL and 43 inches
at Rochester NY, with up to 60 inches in the Adirondack Mountains of
New York State. (David Ludlum)

1952
- An intense storm brought coastal sections of southeastern
Massachusetts to a halt, stranding 3000 motorists on Lower Cape, and
leaving ten thousand homes on the Cape without electricity. Winds
gusting to 72 mph created mountainous snowdrifts of the 18 inches of
snow which buried Nantucket and Hyannis. A barometric pressure reading
of 29.02 inches was reported at the center of the storm. (The Weather
Channel)

1987
- A powerful storm produced severe thunderstorms in Louisiana and
Mississippi early in the day. About mid morning a monstrous tornado
touched down near Moselle MS and grew to a width of two miles as it
passed near Laurel MS. The tornado traveled a distance of 40 miles
killing six persons, injuring 350 others, and causing 28.5 million
dollars damage. The tornado swept homes right off their foundations, and
tossed eighteen wheel trucks about like toys. Strong straight line
winds associated with the powerful storm system gusted to 70 mph at
Jonesboro AR and Carbondale IL. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm
Data)

1988
- Thunderstorms in California produced severe weather during the early
morning hours. Strong thunderstorm winds, gusting to 74 mph, downed
trees in the Sacramento area. Unseasonably mild weather prevailed in the
northwestern U.S. The afternoon high of 71 degrees at Portland OR was a
February record. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989
- Thunderstorms in the southeast corner of the nation produced winds
gusts to 58 mph at Fort Lauderdale FL, and a total of seven inches of
rain. Heavy snow whitened parts of the Northern Plateau and the Northern
Rockies, with ten inches reported at Marion MT. (The National Weather
Summary) (Storm Data)

1990
- Showers and thunderstorms over the Southern Plains Region capped a
record wet February for parts of Oklahoma. Totals for the month ranged
up to 9.11 inches at McCurtain, with 4.63 inches reported at Oklahoma
City. Snow and sleet fell across northern Oklahoma, with four inches
reported at Freedom and Jefferson. Snow also spread across southern
Kansas into Missouri and Arkansas, with six inches of snow reported at
Harrison AR. In Alaska, February temperatures at Nome averaged 21
degrees below normal, ranging from -38 degrees to 29 degrees during the
month. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

February 28,2014; 9:10PM,EST

As
a snowstorm travels across the central Plains and Midwest, the
potential for severe thunderstorms will exist Sunday from parts of
central Texas to along the lower Mississippi River.
Most of the storms are forecast to fire in an area bounded by the I-10 and I-20 corridors.
The greatest risks from the storms are urban flooding, large hail and
damaging wind gusts. However, this setup may also bring a few
tornadoes. As a result, people living in or traveling through the
aforementioned area will want to keep an eye out for rapidly changing
weather conditions.
According to AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions Severe Weather
Meteorologist Tyler Dewvall, "The storms are likely to fire first near
Dallas, Texas, early Sunday morning, where the main threats are likely
to be large hail and urban flooding."
As Sunday progresses, the storms will expand and shift southward and eastward.
"The greatest risk for a few tornadoes is Sunday afternoon, and that
is most likely in portions of northeastern Texas to near or just north
of Houston," Dewvall said.
The storms are likely to continue farther east into Sunday evening.
During this time, the storms will move into parts of Arkansas, Louisiana
and western Mississippi. The primary threat of the storms will shift
toward damaging wind gusts, along with a continued threat for blinding
downpours, urban flooding and an isolated tornado.RELATED:Major Snowstorm Kansas to Massachusetts on the WayCalifornia Rain Brings Drought Relief, FloodingAccuWeather Severe Weather Center
On the northern fringe of the severe weather area, including portions
of Arkansas and northern Mississippi, a change to colder conditions
could lead to ice or a wintry mix Sunday night.
During Sunday night into Monday, while the storms are likely to be
less volatile east of the Mississippi River, there will be an ongoing
risk for urban flooding and localized damaging wind gusts. This
potential will exist from New Orleans to Montgomery, Ala., and Atlanta.

By Kristen Rodman, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

February 28,2014; 9:09PM,EST

Despite
a cold front and some rainy days surrounding the Mardi Gras holiday in
New Orleans, the actual celebration day, Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2014, looks to
remain dry.
A cold front will sweep through the area early Monday morning,
dropping temperatures into the lower 40s, nearly 10 degrees below the
region's normal March temperatures.
It will be a rainy and wet start to the week, as showers and possible
thunderstorms roll into the city early Monday afternoon but the chances
for showers will decrease into the evening hours. While a shower or two
is still possible at night, it's likely that the region will be able to
dry out overnight.
Despite drier weather, Fat Tuesday will feel cold as temperatures
will only reach the 50s, approximately 15 degrees below the normal
average for this time of year.
"It will definitely feel cold with a lot of clouds around," AccuWeather Meteorologist Carl Erickson said.RELATED:Detailed New Orleans WeatherLouisiana Weather RadarSoutheast Regional Weather Radar
However, another storm will form over the northwest Gulf on Tuesday,
making light showers possible in New Orleans late Tuesday night.
For those headed home from the festivities on Wednesday, it will be a rainy and wet day in the area.

By Jenna Abate, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

February 28,2014; 9:04PM,EST

Potholes are notorious for their annual appearances as
wintry weather subsides and springlike temperatures slowly creep into
the forecast. It's going to be a bumpy road to spring, and that is
thanks to this year's potholes popping up sooner due to the frequent
freeze-thaw cycle of this wild winter.
In Massachusetts, potholes have been so bad that for the first time
ever Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has published
their pothole hotline on their website so that the community can aid in spotting potholes quickly.
"It's pretty tough to gauge where the most or largest potholes will
be especially because Massachusetts roads and bridges are exposed all
year long but the hotline helps us prioritize where we need to be first,
second and third," Michael Verseckes, public affairs officer of
MassDot, said.
MassDot is trying to work as efficiently and as quickly through the
I-95 corridor to make travel safe on the Massachusetts highways but
unseasonable warming periods are making their job tough to keep up with.
Potholes are normal visitors during the Massachusetts springtime and
with two rather recent warm periods, MassDOT has seen potholes sooner
this year, Verseckes said.
Massachusetts has had some above- and below-freezing temperatures,
and therefore Verseckes said the freeze-thaw process has sped up.
Conditions in Pennsylvania also have suffered due to the incessant freeze-thaw cycle.
"As for the current concern, potholes, the freeze-thaw cycles this
year has resulted in more potholes than usual. Pennsylvania Department
of Transpiration (PennDOT) crews are plowing and treating state roads to
keep them passable when winter precipitation strikes and fixing
potholes between winter events, George McAuley, assistant director
executive for maintenance of PennDOT said.RELATED:Hidden Hazards of Road Salt: Car Corrosion Can Take a TollFive Ways Cold Can Damage Your CarSnowstorm to Cause Major Disruptions From Chicago to NYC
However, thanks to a new piece of legislation, the roads in
Pennsylvania should be repaired sooner rather than later. This, combined
with revenue for much-needed and long-delayed projects, will bring
tremendous benefits to Pennsylvanians on the roads.
"Thanks to the recent passage of the new Transportation Funding Bill,
once winter is over, we will be resurfacing more roads and fixing more
bridges starting this year. With Pennsylvania's aggressive freeze-thaw
cycle, we will always see potholes, but the funding bill will ensure
that our forces and the private sector through construction contracts
can reconstruct roadways on which we could previously only patch
potholes," McAuley said.
It seems as though no Northeastern metropolitan area was spared by
the wintry weather hangover. New York City Department of Transportation
(NYCDOT) is reporting staggering numbers. The weekend of Feb. 21, 2014,
100 crews were dispatched to resurface key portions of major highways
throughout the city.
"Our crews have been hard at work all winter long maintaining the
city's roadways as they experience wear-and-tear due to the significant
snowfall and cold weather," Nicholas Mosquera, spokesperson for NYCDOT,
said.

Number of NYC Potholes as of Feb. 26, 2014

Borough

# of Potholes

Bronx

26,113

Brooklyn

45,466

Manhattan

20,240

Queens

36,692

Staten Island

16,769

Total

145,280

Potholes have become such an issue that New York City Mayor Bill de
Blasio has set aside $7.3 million to facilitate and accelerate the
extraordinary number of road repairs needed this winter. The 100 crews
released the weekend of Feb. 21, 2014, will be the first of many weekly
pothole blitzes to fix the issues beginning in March.
NYC's administrative departments clearly recognize the issue and
these blitzes are apart of the stepped-up efforts the city is making on
pothole repair.
In the meantime, social media has been used to keep records of the
potholes throughout the Northeast. Mosquera said that NYCDOT has a
"Daily Pothole" Tumblr page where statistics, pictures, and memes making light of the situation have been posted.
Twitter has been flooded with TwitPics and digital accounts of #PotholeProblems.
But it's not all bad; two Montreal-based photographers were able to make light of the pesky potholes via Elite Daily.

February 28,2014; 7:00PM,EST

March
may not come in like a lion everywhere across the nation, but winter
will roar during the first several days of the month and impact more
than 100 million people.
Snow will expand from the northern Rockies and central Plains to
portions of the Midwest this weekend, reaching the Northeast early next
week.
The adverse winter conditions will develop Friday into Saturday over
the Plains and is forecast to shift slowly eastward Sunday and Monday.These locations are expected to add to their already abundant snowfall so far this winter.
Snowfall from the cross-country storm will exceed 1,500 miles on its
journey. There is the potential for more than 6 inches of snow to fall
along a 1,300-mile stretch from Topeka, Kan., to Kansas City, Mo.;
Peoria, Ill.; Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh; Philadelphia;
New York City; Hartford, Conn.; Providence, R.I.; and Boston. Some
locations along this swath could end up with a foot of snow or more.
People traveling by road or airways should expect major long-lasting
delays as this area of snow expands eastward and crawls along.
For a time, the snow or a wintry mix will impact areas between the
I-70 and I-90 corridors over the Rockies and Plains and the I-64 to I-90
corridors in the Midwest and East. From the Midwest to the Northeast,
portions of I-80 could close for a time due to a very heavy snowfall
rate. Snowfall rates at the height of the storm may reach 2 inches per
hour.
Major airport hubs from Kansas City, Mo., Chicago, St. Louis,
Indianapolis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C.,
Philadelphia, New York City and Boston may all be directly affected by
the storm with the potential for thousands of delays and/or
cancelations. Ripple-effect flight delays and cancelations are likely to
reach nationwide.
One batch of snow will push slowly eastward Saturday into Sunday from
the Great Lakes to part of the central Appalachians. It is during this
first batch where Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo, N.Y., are likely to get
most of the snow from the event.
However, it is during the last part of the storm, when the heaviest
and longest-lasting snow is likely to occur centered farther south and
in part of the coastal Northeast. The heaviest snow is projected to be
Sunday to Sunday night over the northern Ohio Valley states to part of
the central Appalachians and Sunday night and Monday in the coastal
Northeast.
Initially, the storm will evolve into a blizzard over the northern
Rockies and northern High Plains with dangerously low AccuWeather
RealFeel® temperatures.
Farther east, the storm may be less intense in terms of wind and low
RealFeel extremes, but precipitation can be quite heavy and very
disruptive. The storm is likely to impact not only travel, but also
school and business activities. The storm may completely tap remaining
ice-melting supplies in some communities.RELATED:Rough Winter to Lag Well Into March for Midwest, EastCalifornia Rain Brings Drought Relief, FloodingAccuWeather Winter Weather Center
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "The
challenge with this storm is figuring out where the north-south boundary
between rain and snow will set up and migrate to as the storm
progresses slowly eastward."
A tremendous temperature contrast will set up from north to south
with the storm. A distance of 100 miles could bring temperatures ranging
from the 60s and 70s to the 20s and 30s and the difference between
rain, ice and snow.
"In a narrow swath, all or part of the storm will deliver snow that
may be difficult to shovel and plow, due to its accumulation and
weight," Abrams said.
Ice is a concern in between the heavy snow and soaking rain area.
"Because of the great amount of moisture available to this storm, a
narrow zone of heavy ice can occur with downed trees and power outages,"
Abrams said.
A shift in storm track by as little as a few dozen miles and more of a
press of cold air could make the difference between heavy snow, light
snow, ice and rain.
In the warm air on the southern flank of the storm, drenching rain
and thunderstorms will occur. Long-duration rainfall will occur near the
rain/snow line, while the potential for strong to locally severe
thunderstorms sweeping through is greatest over the lower Mississippi
Valley.